The Simpleplanning Budget Planner

by CI Staff

The Simpleplanning Budget Planner is a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet that helps individuals keep track of their budgets. It walks you through the setup process by explaining each step, as opposed to just providing a spreadsheet. By clicking a link that says, “How do I use this spreadsheet?” a window will automatically pop up in your Internet browser. It takes you to simpleplanning.net, which shows you where to input your information on each part of the spreadsheet. There is also a separate tutorial that plays step-by-step videos to walk users through the input process.

The Quick Budget Spreadsheet is one of the tabs in the Budget Planner. On this spreadsheet you can create a “quick budget” by inputting your income and spending. One of the spreadsheet’s most convenient features is that it allows the user to change the frequency of an income or expense to fit their actual needs. The spreadsheet automatically calculates monthly and yearly figures for each category, then goes on to show your budget summary in the form of a graph. This is good for individuals who excel with visual aids. You can see your income in comparison to your expenses as well as your net amount. This budget sheet is primarily used by people whose income and spending don’t change monthly. It’s also helpful for those who want to simply track their income against their fixed expenses.

If your income or spending does change monthly, you can use the Budget by Month sheet. Each month has its own column, and different income and spending categories are each listed in their own row. You then input your budget or what you would like to spend in each category. Again, the spreadsheet then generates graphical representations of your budget and your spending. The next tab requires users to input what they actually spend as opposed to their spending goals. Another sheet will show you a comparison of what you wanted to spend vs. what you actually spent. Graphs on the page will show you where you’re overspending.

Although it may take more time, Budget Planner includes another tab for users who want to track their spending on a daily basis. This is good for individuals who are very attentive to what they spend and enjoy keeping a detailed record of their spending habits. In the purchased version of Budget Planner, figures go directly from the daily sheet to tracking and comparison.

Instructions say to make sure to save the Budget Planner Demo, to your computer before opening it. When opening the Budget Planner Demo, be sure to allow editing if prompted. The completely unlocked version is available for a one-time fee of $15.95.